Finding your inner zen isn’t about cutting out all of life’s sweet pleasures nor do you don’t have to become a monk to step into your zen. Perhaps you can think of it this way, it’s a different manner of accessing your sweet moments without having to hunt for them.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Zen is just another word for experiencing ‘bliss, your sweet spot or being in the moment’. For many of us, we look for the highs in life to give us this feeling and it’s usually associated with a surge of adrenalin, meaning we experience an external zen. What if we turn it around and you’re able to easily access this sweet spot internally? This way, it’s not dictated by what goes on around you, it’s more about what you’re boosting internally.
That internal zen is a simple practice of connecting with yourself daily. It doesn’t matter whether it’s five minutes, fifteen or even sixty minutes. What matters is the frequency of connecting with yourself daily. Recent studies have shown that you get an instant result after meditating for one hour, one time only. From the very first time you meditate, you’re reducing stress and anxiety from your mind, your body and emotions. It’s like getting into bed with fresh clean sheets and there’s nothing better than that crisp feeling and smell of freshly washed bed sheets.
So what effects do stepping into our zen do for us – even if it’s only for five minutes?
- Stops the monkey mind
- Brings clarity
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Feeling energised
- Motivation
- Joy
- Drive
- Strengthens immune system
Here’s a couple of simple meditation methods that you can do to experience your own internal bliss.
Guided Meditation
- There are plenty of guided meditations that you can access online
- Choose one, get into a comfortable position and press play
- Follow the voice guiding you on a journey and let your imagination lead the way
For beginners and busy people, there are two meditations that I have recorded, a 10min and a 16min which you can purchase and download straight away.
Mindfulness Meditation
Part A:
- Get into a comfortable position, you can sit in a chair, cushion or even lie down.
- Shift your attention to your breathing and find your own natural breath rhythm.
- Follow your breath all the way to where it stops in your body and gently hold.
- Then notice your breath as it leaves your body.
Do Part A for three to five minutes initially and whenever you’re ready, you can add Part B into your practice.
Part B:
- Now bring your attention to a part of your body that’s really relaxed.
- Breathe into that area, gently hold and softly exhale.
- Find another spot on your body that is more relaxed than before and breathe in. As you breathe in you’re expanding this relaxing feeling in your body.
- Keep repeating steps 1 and 2 until your body begins to unwind deeper and deeper.
Do Part 2 for five to ten minutes
Sound Meditation
- Surf the net for some music e.g. a gong or a mantra being repeated in a rhythmic pace.
- Get yourself into a comfortable position sitting down on a chair or cushion.
- Place your hands on your knees (palms up or down is fine).
- Follow your breath in and out until you feel your body settle into position and relax.
Gong
- Let the sound of the gong shift your brainwaves into theta which is a deeper state of relaxation where you may feel yourself drifting in and out.
- Just relax and follow the rhythm of the gong beat.
Mantra
- A repeated phrase or word that you say out loud or silently e.g. Ah.
- The word or phrase vibrates from within your chest as you repeat it.
You can do either sound meditation for five to forty-five minutes.
Life is about those sweet moments and how often we allow ourselves to stop and enjoy them. Instead of running around chasing these moments, stop and take a minute to pause. Create the habit to go within and slide into your sweet bliss even if it’s only for a moment, every day!
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The Carousel would like to thank Simonne Lee for this article.
Photo by Milan Popovic
